Automatic trouser pressing machine



Nov. 25, 1969 M. FRAUENDORF 3,480,188

AUTOMATIC TROUSER PRESSING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1966 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.7 E [:1 5 18a, 27" l EAL-6 Fi z Inventor- NAN/60 rim/M000 Nov. 25, 1969 Filed Nov. 14. 1966 M. FRAUENDORF 3,480,188

AUTOMATIC TROUSER PRESSING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 F ig 4b 20 19 1a g g U i W .22 o

Nov. 25, 1969 M. FRAUENDORF AUTOMATIC TROUSER PRESSING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 14, 1966 Fig.5

Nov. 25, 1969 M. FRAUENDORF 3,430,138

AUTOMATIC TROUSER PRESSING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1966 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 25, 1969 M. FRAUENDORF 3,480,188

AUTOMATIC TROUSER PRESSING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1966 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jr W Noir. 25, 1969 M. FRAUENDORF 3,480,188

AUTOMATIC TROUSER PRESSING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14. 1966 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 United States Patent O 3,480,188 AUTOMATIC TROUSER PRESSING MACHINE Manfred Frauendorf, Nuremberg, Germany, assignor to Normbau Maschinenfabrik GmblH & Co., Nuremberg, Germany Filed Nov. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 594,051 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 13, 1965, N 27,617 Int. Cl. A41h 5/ 01 U.S. Cl. 22373 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A steam press for trousers comprising supporting members and cover leaves arranged in two sets of tiers one above the other to define clamping means for trousers, where the cover leaves are movable relative to the supporting members below them to clamp the crease edges of trouser legs between them before the steam treatment of the trousers begins. The upper tier of supporting members and of cover leaves is movable relative to the lower tier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to steam presses or pressing machines and more particularly to automatic trouser pressing machines.

Machines of this type usually comprise the pressing or supporting surfaces for the trouser legs, steam supply means and controls for the duration and the amount of steam and air supply.

In modern pressing machines the pressing is effected essentially by steaming under pressure. For this purpose fresh steam is forced through the garment to be pressed during a predetermined length of time preferably from the inside outwardly. The garments are placed upon a supporting surface and are held under pressure by a counter surface. This involves the shortcoming in the known methods and machines that seam folds and in some cases trouser pockets, button strips and the like impress themselves visibly and strongly and under certain conditions cause shiny areas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The term fresh steam defines the steam used for the actual pressing operation as distinguished from heating steam that keeps a machine heated also when no pressing operations take place.

It is an object of the invention to provide a trouser press where the shortcomings of the known apparatuses are avoided and makes possible a rapid sequence of the pressing operations.

In accordance with the invention this problem is solved in that a clamping arrangement for the edges of the trousers along the creases is provided which includes retaining or holding means in the form of clamping leaves as well as means for closing and opening the leaves and means for spreading the leaves associated with one trouser leg relative to those associated with the second trouser leg.

The invention is based on the basic concept that in order to avoid pressure areas at the seams, by the trouser pockets or the button band or strip it is advantageous to perform the pressing or steaming operation without pressure, i.e. without the application of external pressure, so that merely the steam passing through the cloth effects the smoothing of the cloth. Only the creases of the trouser legs are held, so that there sharp creases are produced by the local pressure and on the other hand the trouser legs are held in the machine in such a manner that due to the penetrating fresh or live steam which,

while passing through the cloth has to overcome a certain resistance, the trouser legs are blown up whereby the blowing completely smoothens out sitting and squeezing wrinkles or the like. After passing through fresh steam during a certain adjustable time period, air is blown through whereby the dampness is driven out of the cloth. After the completion of the steaming or pressing operation and automatically controlled opening of the leaves the trousers may be removed.

To facilitate and accelerate the feeding of the machine, a further object of the invention provides for spreading means for the leg ends of the trouser that may be inserted or hung in and fastening means for these spreading means. In an advantageous embodiment these spreading means in the form of pieces of sheet metal or blades having serrated or undulated edges which are connected with one another by .a wire strip which is suitably bent to constitute a hook. In a different further embodiment the spreading means consist of a V-shaped wire the ends of which are flattened and serrated.

For the purpose explained hereinabove a further structural development in accordance with the invention provides for holding or retaining means for the trouser waistband that may be hooked or laid in. Before placing the trousers in the pressing machine they are slid onto this waistband holder while spreading of the trousers along the creases is obtained by suitable self-checking holding members, spring means or the like and stretching by suitably clamping in the button strip portion.

The clamping devices for the trouser pleats consist advantageously of clamping leaves for the creases with a rigid front and rear supporting surface, a cover strip or leaf for each that may be lifted directly, or indirectly by hydraulic means, and the upper surface of which serves at the same time as the supporting surface for the second trouser leg and one each further cover strip that is displaceable parallel relative to the first cover strip.

Steam pipes for the fresh steam are provided between or upon the supporting surfaces and the cover strips with discharge or outlet openings in the direction of the spaces between the supporting surfaces and the cover strips. In order to prevent cooling of the supporting surfaces and the cover strips or leaves during the feeding or the removal operation, the pipes for the fresh steam are connected in a heat conducting manner with the pipes for the heating steam. The pipes for the heating steam can be disposed in the pipes for the fresh steam. It is advantageous for manufacturing purposes that the pipes for the heating steam are soldered to the pipes for "the fresh steam. At the same time the feeding or supply means is arranged in a manner that the heating steam flows continuously through the pipe provided for it while the fresh steam is only passed through during the steaming operation, i.e. during a period of time that can be adjusted.

In accordance with a further development provided by the invention cylinder means are provided for moving the supporting strips and the cover strips or leaves to swing the clamping means consisting of the lower and upper cover strips. Furthermore cylinder means :are provided with each cover leaf for the parallel lifting or lowering of the cover leaves relative to the respective supporting surfaces.

In another advantageous embodiment of the invention guide rollers are connected with the cover strips or leaves that are movable in stationary curved guide rails for raising or lowering the leaves. The displacement of the guide rollers is advantageously effected by cylinder means which are connected with the guide roll carriers by ball guided Bowden cables.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention guide means are provided at the foot portions of the cover leaves for automatic lifting or lowering in relation to the pivotal movement.

For adapting the clamping devices to different sizes of trousers the trouser press in accordance with the invention can be constructed in such a manner that the clamping devices are adjustable transversely of the trousers. This permits on the one hand adaptation to the width of the trousers being pressed and on the other hand adaptation to the cut or form of the trousers.

Advantageously this can be accomplished in that the clamping device associated with one side lengthwise of the trousers is stationary on the machine and the clamping device associated with the other side of the trouser is rotatably floating on an intermediate support that is swingable relative to the frame of the machine.

In accordance with a further advantageous development in accordance with the invention the supporting surfaces and the cover leaves are provided with a friction covering. This makes it possible that as the trouser legs are spread and when they are blown up with fresh steam the pressed creases cannot slide out of the clamping devices but are immovably retained without forming press marks.

Inasmuch as the distance maintained between supply surfaces and cover leaves in the closed position must'be small for achieving suflicient clamping effect, while on the other hand elastic yielding must be afforded for the insertion of trousers of different material thickness, cup springs are preferably arranged for the elastic mounting of the cover leaves.

In accordance with a further development of this device the cover leaves may be in the form of individual separate sections in the longitudinal direction, which can be individually spaced from one another and which are preferably mounted by a pair of cup springs or the like.

In accordance with a different embodiment one each cover leaf for one trouser leg is directly connected with the associated support and the other leaf, by way of an elastic intermediate layer, for example, a rubber layer, tombac metal or the like with its support.

To facilitate the inserting of the trousers in the machine it is possible in accordance with a further development of the invention to provide between the clamping devices a removable supporting surface for the trousers that is optionally moved by means of a cylinder device. Furthermore, in accordance with a further feature of the invention a separate fastening device may be arranged at the binding end of the clamping devices for the trouser binding which may be in the form of an elastic retaining element held on one side, for example, a clamp spring leaf, a wire strip, a flap or the like.

For the further acceleration and facilitating of the working operation, foot or manually operated control means may be provided preferably a double handle release which serve for closing and opening the clamping device.

Advantageously further acceleration of the total operation, is obtained in that a sequence switch is provided which automatically and periodically controls the spreading operation, the steam supply for the steaming operation and the air supply when the operator closes the clamping device by means of the pedal operated switch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic over all side view of the pressing machine in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine in accordance with FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a trouser leg spreading device,

FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate a holding device for the trouser binding in top and side view respectively,

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the crease clamping .4 device in accordance with one embodiment in closed position,

FIG. 6 illustrates the device in accordance with FIG. 5 in open condition,

FIG. 7 shows a detail of the journalling of the clamping devices,

FIG. 8 is a front view of a second embodiment of a clamping device,

FIG. 9 is a view of the fastening means for the trouser Waistband.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The new automatic trouser steam press in accordance with the invention comprises a machine frame 1, the adjustable clamping rear and front devices 2 and 3 for the trouser leg edges or creases and a control or switch box 4. In the control box the control means are accommodated, which are not illustrated in detail, and which comprise, for example magnetic valves for the supply of fresh steam, for heating steam, for dry air, together with the time switches for setting up the individual pressing operations and the operating knobs for starting the individual operations as well as for starting and stopping the entire machine.

FIG. 2 shows the clamping means i.e. clamping devices 2 and 3 for the trouser legs in closed condition. The trousers 5 inserted in the machine are shown in dash and dot lines. Spreading means 6 are inserted in the cuffs or lower ends of the trousers which are fastened to the retaining or holding means 7. The retaining means are slidable longitudinally and self-locking to afford adaptation to the different lengths of trousers. For this purpose the retaining means may be in the form of a rubber cord, a spring, a balancing weight or the like.

As shown particularly in FIG. 3, the spreading means may be retaining members 8 and 9, for example, sheet metal blades, the edges of which are associated with the creases of the trousers and may be serrated or undulated. A strip 10 in the form of a hook is connected to these retaining members 8 and 9. These elements 8, 9 and 10 may also be made as a single unit, for example, by suitably bending the strip 10 to form resilient retaining elements in lieu of the plates 8, 9 as indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 3. The strip 10 is formed in such a manner for this purpose, that its mid-portion defines a hook 11. The construction may also be such that a closed eyelet is formed in lieu of a hook. The means 9-11 are separately provided in the steam press for each trouser leg. The use of a simple V-shaped single wire strip having end portions spread out to form hooks is also suitable.

As shown in FIG. 2 the clamping devices 2 and 3' may be slidably moved along the guide bars 12 and 13. For this purpose the structural arrangement is such that not only displacement parallel to the longitudinal direction of the machine is possible but also oblique positioning. For this purpose the clamping devices 2 and 3 are guided by means of the clamping members 14 and 15 which slide along the guide bars 13'. FIG. 2 illustrates the clamping members 14, 15 on the left side. The construction may also be such that the front clamping device 3 is not slidable at its left end but is pivotably movable. As compared to this the remaining three end points of the clamping devices are slidable in the direction of the arrows. By virtue of the pivotable mounting of the clamping devices 2 and 3 at the associated clamping members 14 and 15 etc. exact adaptation of the clamping devices to the form or cut of the trousers to be pressed may be obtained so that for each trouser length, trouser width and trouser shape the creases are seized to the same extent by the clamping devices. A hooking means 16 for a holding device of the trouser binding is preferably provided on the bar 13. As seen in FIG. 2 this holding device consists of a bar 17 which may be hooked in to the slots 18a of support or holder 16. On the bar 17 self-locking holding devices 18, 19 are slidably arranged as shown in FIG. 4b.

In this connection the holding device 18 serves for hooking in one crease while the holding device 1-9 serves for hooking in the button strip. Devices 18, 19 are made of metal strips which are bent to form angles and the free ends of which are twisted as shown. Furthermore a transverse carrier 20 is provided with resilient spreading members 21 which are hooked into the front creases. In the center portion it is possible to provide a spacing device 22 which spreads out the trouser binding. For manipulating the holding device for the trouser binding, together with the trousers secured thereto a handle 23 is provided which is preferably heat insulated. In lieu of one or both holding devices it is also possible to provide a rubber pulling strip or the like.

In the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2 the rear clamping device 2 consists of lower supporting members extending laterally of the control box and top cover leaves that are each unitarily formed, while in the front clamping arrangement 3 another arrangement of the cover leaves is illustrated which differs in that the cover leaf is in the form of individual elements 24 that are separately movable and for the securing of which each is provided with a pair of screws 25. A detailed description of this embodiment will follow below, in connection with description of the clamping devices. FIG. 2 also shows the handle 26' 26" and 27' and 27" for actuating ,the clamping devices 14 and 15 for sliding the clamping devices 2 and 3 along the guide bars 12 and 13.

FIG. 1 also illustrates schematically two cylinder devices 28 and 29, the operation of which is explained further on.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sections of an embodiment of the clamping devices 2 and 3 which are arranged in two tiers, one above the other. Here a lower supporting member 31 is provided on a stationary support and serves for receiving the crease edge 32 of the lower trouser leg. The retaining of this crease edge 32 is effected by the first cover leaf 33 which in the closed position of the lower clamping device rests on the supporting member 31. The surfaces of the two parts are so constructed that the opening between them diverges adjacent the trousers, the length of the part of the supporting member 31 that faces the trousers is so chosen that also with trouser legs which are curved in longitudinal direction all parts of the creased edge rest amply on the member 3 1 and are clamped thereto. In order to place or locate the second trouser leg an upper support member 34 is provided against which the second cover leaf 35 comes to rest for the closed condition of the press.

A cylinder and piston assembly 36 is pivotally mounted on the machine the piston 37 of which engages a shaft 38 that is secured to a support member 39 for the first cover leaf 33. This support member 39 in turn carries a cylinder piston device 40 while the parts 38, 39 and 40 are pivotally mounted on a pivoting support 41 of the press. The cylinder arrangement 40 has a piston rod 41 which is connected with the support 42 of the lower cover leaf 33. A support 44 for the second cover leaf 35 is linked to a second stationary pivot member 43. The support 44 has connected thereto a carrier member 45 for the upper support member 34. A cylinder piston device 46 which is pivotally mounted at 47 and the piston 48 of which engages a holding element 49, serves for pivotal movement of the devices 4449 together with the cylinder assembly while the carrier member 45 for the upper support member 34 is connected to the holding element 49 and a carrier element 53 for the upper cover leaf 35 is connected by way of piston rod 51. This arrangement operates in such a manner that by actuating the cylinder assemblies 36, 40, 46 and 50 the indivldual support member and cover leaves are first separated from one another as illustrated in FIG. 6. Now the edge of a trouser leg is placed on to the support member 31. By actuating the cylinder and piston means 36, 37 the first or bottom cover leaf 33 is swung to the right and then by actuating the arrangement 40, 41 is moved parallel downwardly until the crease 32 is clamped in. Now by actuating the means 46, 48 the upper holding support member 34 as well as also the second or top cover leaf 35 are swung to the right. In this manner the upper support member 34 comes to rest closely above the first or bottom cover leaf 33. Now the second trouser leg is placed onto the member 34 and by subsequent operation of the means 50, 51 the second or top cover leaf 35 is lowered parallel together with its supporting device 53 until also the second trouser leg is clamped in. This end condition is illustrated in FIG. 5.

After the second trouser leg is located in position in the same manner as the first leg and is covered by leaf 35, the trousers may be stretched transversely of the longitudinal direction of the trouser legs. This is effected by pivotally moving the support members 2 and 3 (FIG. 7) relative to one another, for example by using the piston and rod assembly 66, 67. The tensioning of element 7 is only effective during the placing or locating of the trousers. After the trouser legs have been placed, the steaming operation begins by which fresh steam passes through the friction layer as well as also through the waist into the trousers, and the entire trousers including the legs are blown up. An essential feature of the machine in accordance with the invention is that the trousers to be treated are no longer placed on supports in their entirety, but they are only spanned at the creases. The actual steaming and pressing operation is effected by passing fresh steam and air through the trousers. The relative movements of the clamping means serve essentially for holding the trousers tensioned to the extent that all crimps or wrinkles are flattened by blowing in the fresh steam.

FIG. 8 shows also an embodiment for the arrangement of the conduits for the fresh steam and the heating steam. The steam pipes 54 and 55 encompass closed pipes 56 and 57 respectively. Pipes 54 and 55 are provided with apertures 58 and 59, respectively, the axes of which are directed toward the slots between the supporting members 31 and 34 and the cover leaves 33 and 35. These pipes are provided at their end portions with downwardly extending pipe stubs (not shown) to which supply hoses are connected.

In FIG. 7 a modified embodiment is schematically illustrated where the clamping devices 2, 3 associated with one longitudinal edge of the trousers are fixedly mounted on the machine. The clamping device 2 associated with the second longitudinal trouser edge is carried by the support element 60 which is pivotally connected for movement about a pivot 61 of the intermediate support 62, which support 62 is in turn pivotally movable about a pivot 63 on the machine frame 1. A cylinder and piston rod assembly is provided between the clamping means 3 and the intermediate support 62. Advantageously the piston rod 67 engages an eyelet 68 of the clamping device 3, and the cylinder 66 engages an eyelet 70 on the intermediate support 62. By means of this arrangement the support element 60 of the clamping means 2 is floatingly journalled and can be swung into the required position as trousers to be steamed are inserted. After clamping in the creases, operation of the cylinder and piston rod assembly 66, 67 causes spreading between the clamping devices 2, 3, so that the trousers are spread or tightened in clamped condition transversely of their longitudinal extent.

The embodiment of a trouser press in accordance with the invention illustrated in FIG. 8 differs from the embodiments in accordance with FIGS. 5 and 6 with respect to the raising and swinging mechanism for the upper supporting surface 34 and the second cover leaf 35. In a stationary device 71 having an arcuate guide member 72 a guide roller 73 is slidably journalled. The guide roller support 74 is connected with a supporting member 75 which is pivotally engaged by a spherically journalled Bowden mechanism 76. This Bowden cable pulling device is pivotally supported by a pivot ball bearing 77 on the stationary frame portion 30 and secured with its other end to an anchoring plate 78 (FIG. 7) on a piston rod 79 which, in turn is operated by a cylinder 80.

The guide roller support is connected at its other side with a slide sleeve 81 which presents at its other end a carrier bracket 82 for the first cover leaf 33. When piston rod 79 (FIG. 7) is displaced toward the right, the Bowden device 76 is first raised so that the sliding roller 73 in the guide member 72 first runs through the vertically disposed branch. As a result the part 82 with the leaves 33 and 34 is vertically raised upwardly from the lower supporting surface 31. Subsequently the slide roller 73 runs along the inclined oblique part of the guide member 72. This causes the center cover leaf and the supporting surface together with the upper supporting surface to be SWung to the left. As shown in FIG. 7, the assembly 78, 79, 80 has coordinated with it an equivalent Bowden cable arrangement 83 for the clamping device 2. A further cylinder 84 with piston rod 85 and anchoring plate 86 is provided on the machine frame 1. Also with this anchoring plate 86 two pull cables 87 and 88 are associated of which the cable 87 is coordinated with the clamping device 3 and the Bowden cable 88 with clamping device 2. These Bowden cables 87 and 88 operate a further sliding sleeve associated with the second cover leaf 35. The cylinderpiston assembly 84, 85 then operates in such a manner that the second cover leaves 35 are also raised from the upper supporting surface 34. The condition thus obtained corresponds to the relative positions of the supporting and covering leaves indicated in FIG. 6. The insertion of the trousers is effected in the same manner as with the embodiment described above. After a creased edge has been located on the lower supporting surface 31, the first cover leaf 33 with the upper supporting leaf 34 and the raised second cover leaf 35 are again swung in and then lowered by operating the cylinder and piston rod assembly 79, 80. The second trouser crease is placed onto the upper supporting leaf and by operation of the cylinder and piston rod assembly 84, 85 the lowering of the second cover leaf is effected. The steaming operation may now be started. The individual leaves are in the position corresponding to that shown in FIG. 5.

The operation of the individual cylinder-piston assemblies is preferably automatic for this purpose and is initiated by a pedal or manually operated switch. Preferably, a bimanual starting means is used in order to compel the operator to undertake the starting of the lifting and swinging movements with both hands so that injuries and accidents are precluded. The periodic sequence in this connection can be controlled by a time switch device or may be determined by repeated operation of the associated control means. Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows poppet springs 64 and 65 by means of which the cover leaves 33 and 35 are secured to the associated supports 42 and 53. These poppet springs permit elastic yielding of the cover leaves in the sense of increasing the space intermediate the cover leaves and the associated supporting surfaces in a manner depending on the thickness of the cloth of the trouser legs inserted between them.

In lieu of the construction in accordance with the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 with the elastic poppet springs, it is also possible as schematically illustrated in FIG. 8 to make the construction in such a manner that between the lower supporting surface 31 and its carrier on the one hand and between the second cover leaf and its support 53 an elastic layer 89, 90 respectively, for example, of rubber or tombac metal (a copper and zinc alloy) is provided. In addition, friction layers 34a and 35a may be provided.

The construction of the clamping devices may be such that after the insertion of the trouser legs in the front clamping device 3 and the rear clamping device 2 the supporting surfaces that are at the top and the cover leaves are raised together on one side by means of cylinder 29 (FIG. 1) in the manner of a spreading movement from the lower supporting surfaces and cover leaves. In this connection the spreading is at the cuff end of the trouser leg, while the pivot axis is provided at the level of the crotch.

In all embodiments it is accomplished that the trouser legs which are only held along short stretches of the creases are blown up under the influence of the fresh steam that is blown in, so that due to the pressure of the fresh steam the trouser legs are smoothened. After termination of the steaming operation, i.e. when the fresh steam supply has been disconnected, the clamping device for the upper trouser leg is lowered, the cover leaves are raised, preferably again by actuating a foot pedal, and the pressed trouser can be removed from the machine together with the spreading device for the ends of the trouser legs and the holding device for the waistband.

The holding device for the waistband and the spreading means for the cuffs are in each case associated with one pair of trousers so that the operator may during the course of the pressing operation prepare the next pair of trousers or may store the trousers already pressed. Due to this overlap in time of the individual operations, particularly great speed is obtained.

Suitably, the machine has provided with it a supporting surface 69 (FIG. 2) which may be raised or lowered by means of a cylinder 28 and which is disposed between the lower trouser leg and the upper trouser leg.

FIG. 9 illustrates schematically a separate fastening device which is shown in the form of a cut-out that is provided at the waistband end of the clamping device for the waistband. For this purpose, the supporting surface 31 is lengthened with respect to the cover leaf 33. At the projecting part a fastening device is provided which in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 9 may be in the form of a bent clamping spring 91. One of the ends of the clamping spring is bent away from the supporting surface 31 in order to provide for simpler insertion of the waistband, while the other end is fastened, for example, by means of a screw 92 onto the supporting surface 31 or its carrier 30.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments and the structural details illustrated and described. It concerns also all sub-combinations and part-combinations of the features described and/or illustrated. Thus, it is suitable and advantageous to provide the supporting surfaces and the clamping leaves with a friction covering, not illustrated in detail, in order to prevent undesirable sliding of the trouser legs during the insertion operation, or during the steaming operation. To this end the friction layer which is known per se is made in such manner that press imprints and/or damage to the trouser material are avoided.

The operating means for moving the individual cover leaves and the supporting surfaces may be modified by the man skilled in the art, but it is essential that the movements .are a combination of swinging, lifting and lowering movements whereby it is insured that during closing or opening no displacement of the sides along a crease can take place which is not readily precluded during a pivotal or swinging movement.

I claim:

1. Automatic steam press for trousers comprising a supporting frame, supporting members, one for each crease edge of a trouser leg mounted on and extending longitudinally of said frame, steam and air supply means extending proximate said supporting members and means for controlling the amount of and the time periods during which steam and air are supplied, a cover leaf being disposed above and movable relative to and into engagement with each said supporting member, said cover leaves and said supporting members constituting clamping devices for the crease edges of trouser legs, two said clamping devices being arranged above one another both in the front and in the rear of said press, means for moving said cover leaves relative to their respective supporting members and means for spreading the front clamping devices associated with the crease edges on one trouser side relative to the rear clamping devices associated with crease edges on the other trouser side, insertable spreading devices for the cuff ends of trousers and fastening means for said Spreading devices proximate one end of said clamping devices and insertable trouser waist band retaining means and holding means therefor proximate the other end of said clamping devices.

2. Steam press in accordance with claim 1, where said clamping devices include one each front and one each rear supporting member for the creases of one trouser leg, one each bottom cover leaf for each supporting member and movable relative thereto, each said bottom cover leaf presenting an upper surface providing support for the crease edge of the sec-nd trouser leg, and one each top cover leaf movable parallel with respect to one said bottom cover leaf.

3. Steam press in accordance with claim 2, where the clamping means for one longitudinal side of the trousers are stationary on said supporting frame and the clamping means associated with the opposite longitudinal side of the trousers are supported on an intermediate support, said intermediate support being pivotally mounted on said supporting frame and pivotally connected to said clamping frame.

4. Steam press in accordance with claim 1, including steam pipes for fresh steam disposed adjacent supporting members and said cover leaves and having discharge apertures directed toward the spaces intermediate said supporting members and said cover leaves.

5. Steam press in accordance with claim 1, including pivotally mounted cylinder and piston-rod units each having one end pivotally supported relative to said supporting frame and supporting at the other end one said cover leaf for moving said cover leaf away from the supporting member with which it is associated.

6. Steam press in accordance with claim 5, including stationary guide members supported on said supporting frame and guide roller means connected to said cover leaves and having sliding engagement with said guide members and Bowden cable means each supported at one end on said supporting frame by a ball head and having its cable connected to said guide roller means.

7. Steam press in accordance with claim 1, where said supporting members and said cover leaves are provided with friction layers.

8. Steam press in accordance with claim 1, including poppet springs for elastically supporting said cover leaves.

9. Steam press in accordance with claim 1, where said cover leaves are subdivided into individually adjustable sections, each supported by poppet springs or the like.

10. Steam press in accordance with claim 8, where each cover leaf for one trouser leg is directly supported on a carrier bracket and the other leaf is supported on its associated carrier bracket by way of an elastic intermediate layer.

1 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,306,566 12/1942 Randall 3836 2,495,641 1/1950 Newell 38-38 2,529,899 1 H1950 Bayler 38--21 2,663,954 12/1953 Goldman 38l5 2,994,978 8/1961 Skovira 38-17 X MERV IN STEIN, Primary Examiner GEORGE V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner 

